Catching up with former Unioto standout athlete Corey White
CHILLICOTHE, Ohio — I always enjoy the opportunity in this segment to look back on an area athlete and remember their accomplishments. This month, I look at Unioto and travel back in time to 2006 to recall the career of Corey White. Corey was a three-sport athlete – a member of the highly successful golf program in the fall, a major basketball standout in the winter, and one of the best local talents in baseball over the past few decades.
On the basketball court, White scored 839 career points, which placed White in the top 10 of Unioto’s all-time scoring list when he graduated. Still today, he sits in the 15th spot. White was a three-time All-League selection, a two-time All-District performer, and as a senior, he was named Honorable Mention All-Ohio (during Unioto’s first year in Division II).
Even with the standout career on the basketball court, White shined the brightest in the spring on the baseball diamond. He was voted All-SVC in all four years, and during his junior and senior seasons, he earned All-District honors as well. In his junior season, he was named Second Team All-Ohio and also named MVP of the District All-Star Game. During his final season, he was the SVC Player of the Year and earned First Team All-Ohio. The lanky lefty enjoyed a phenomenal career on the mound, posting a career record of 25-8. Over his final two seasons, he was equally dominant with his bat, hitting well over .400 while driving in over 60 runs. He had an ERA of 0.83 his senior year, while striking out 83 batters and earning a spot in the Mizuno All-Ohio Game.
“There are several things I remember about playing high school sports, but probably the main thing I remember and am thankful for are my friends I have made and the relationships I have built,” said White. “Athletics gave me a chance to meet some awesome people from Ohio. Now that I have kids and they are getting involved in sports, it’s cool to see old friends at the gym or the ball diamond and watching our kids play against one another and catching up on old times. Another thing I remember playing high school sports, especially locally, is how competitive the SVC was. There were several good athletes at all eight schools, and there were no nights off. You had to bring it each and every night. We had a respect for one another, and that respect is what led to so many friendships.”
Following high school, White continued his academics and his baseball career at Otterbein College (now Otterbein University). He graduated from there in 2010 with a Bachelor of Science in Life Science.
Today, Corey and his wife, Kristen, own a farm between Frankfort and Greenfield. He has been teaching for nearly a decade and is currently preparing for his sixth year as a math teacher at McClain. Corey also has coached basketball and baseball, including this past season when he served as the junior varsity head coach for the boys’ basketball program at McClain. Corey and his family have continued to stay involved in the 4-H community. They raise show pigs (operation is called White Showpigs) and also raise and sell pigs to local kids to show in county and state fairs.
Kristen is a pediatrician for Adena Pediatrics and is practicing in Greenfield. Corey and Kristen have three children. Hazel, 6, will be in second grade at Buckskin and enjoys playing a variety of sports and showing pigs. Claire, 3, will be in preschool and loves swimming, playing tee ball, and doing everything she can to keep up with her big sister. Eli, at 19 months old, already loves everything baseball and walking pigs with his two older sisters.
As Corey’s kids get old enough for sports, it is obvious he believes in the importance of kids being involved in extracurricular activities.
“I feel sports are extremely important to youth development,” said White. “I believe getting your kids started as early as possible in athletics is crucial, because it allows them to interact with other kids, meet new friends, develop interests, learn new things, and just play and have fun. Looking back at my youth, I just enjoyed getting out there and playing any chance I could. I was blessed to play on some good teams growing up. We did a lot of winning, but I just enjoyed playing with my friends. It didn’t matter if it was at the YMCA, on the ball diamond, in the backyard, or on the driveway, my friends and I just had a love for sports and enjoyed competing against one another. As you grow and progress each year in athletics, you get to meet new people, and it’s those relationships that you build that are what make athletics so special.”
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